Gate opening and closing means



Filed June 1l, 1951 A. F. HOPPE GATE OPENING AND CLOSING MEANS 3 Sheets-Sheet l ...null/1 5 llnnllllll/ lll Illllllll/ i i953 A. F. HOPPE GATE OPENING AND CLOSING MEANS 3 sheets-sheet 2 Filed June ll, 1951 Filed June ll, 1951 Innes A. F. HOPFE GATE OPENING AND CLOSING MEANS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Dec. 8, 1953 UNITED s TJrl-:s PATENT OFFICE ats-1,555 GATE QBENINGAND CLOSING MEANS Aaolphr. Halimi-cedar. 13ans, mwa Application June 11, 1951seria1 Nmsasassi i 5 Claims."

My invention is a remotely controlled gate opening and closing meansfthatfoperatesentirely by simple mechanical principles. Specifically, my new gate opening and vclosing means uses a manually energized pendulum asV itsactuating source of power. Y

In years gone by when animals were the main source of motive power for farm wagonsuand other equipment, opening and closing gates was not as great a problem as it has become with the mechanization of the farm. .A horse,v if at all trained, is responsive to verbal commands. In the days of horse drawn wagons, therefore, the farmer could usually halt-the horse at a gate; dismount from the wagon toopen thegate; and merely order the horse to go ahead with a verbal command after ,the gate was opened. When the wagon had been pulled clear of the gate, the farmer halted the horse by ordering him to whoa. The gate Was then shut by the farmer who, after closing the gate, .walked to and remounted the wagon or the like `to continue driving on his intended way. With a horse drawn vehicle, therefore, there Wasnot a serious problem as the farmer only had to walk from the horse to the gate and the. gate .to the horse and in each case just clear of the path of the gate. i

When ythe farm became mechanized, however, a quite dilerent situation developed. A tractor or automobile being used to tow `farm equip.- ment required a driver in the vehicleto produce movement. If the farmer wished .topass through a fence gate, therefore, he hadk to get off `the tractor or out of the car to open the gate and return to the vehicleand driveit through the gatev opening. When the towedequipment was clear of the gate, the farmer had to again leave the vehicle and return to close. the gate. After the gate was closed the farmer againfre-k turned to his vehicle and drove o. AThe mechanized farmer, therefore, walked twice as far as the old horse farmer did in getting .through gates.. It would be possible, of course, in areas that are provided with electricity to have some `rev motelycontrolled electrical means for opening and closing gates. Electrical means for accomplishing such results are subject vtol drawbacks, however, such as power failures, relatively com.- plexinstallations, comparativelyhigh cost, and problems of sealing the system vagainst moisture and vother weather damage. YWhile .muchfarm equipment is now .electried even'infthe face of possible.. power failures and other dicultis meeiieried' @have it -.W0u1d Seem@ be .Selffvif dentkthat .a remotely tcontrolledmmeans for open-.- ing and `closing `arance gate that does `not req .quite .the .use-0i electricity would be very de` ltmois thenprinci'pal. object of my invention', therefore, to provide a gate opening and closing means: hatis` remotely controlled and V oloesnot employ elect icity v fitsoperation..1. i" It. is-a further obJe'ct of my .invention to pro--v videfagate openingfand closing means .that lis' operablefromeither side. so that the farmer may open or closethe vgate Yrio matter fromfwhich side pheljfece'ig.apprdached; i;" ,f-It isf arfurther `,object .of my invention `tofproi. vide agate. opening. and. closing.` means that r quires no. special precautions, housings, or seal#y ingl against.adversefweather conditions. n "AItf is'` a..stillfurthen.object of my invention .to 'providea system that is not susceptible of break-Q doyvn orA failure and.. that `may be repaired by farmers without. 'thef need to call in. skilled or higlily'.i'. rainedv mechanics. L'. It is.a still, further object of my inventinto provideP gatappening and closing means that Ifor any .\ne gate is a complete independent vsystem not related to the -means for actuating any Othel sateg, y f Q '5 n f Q Itis` a further' object,.of my inventionfto 'pro- A videa gate. openingand closing means that is "i economical to operate and durable in use'.

...Tnese'and other objects will be apparentft thoseskilledintbe art.. vMyinvention consists in the construction, ar-

rangement-and combinationof thevarious parts of the device herebythe objects contemplated are attainedfasfhereinafter more Vfully setforth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying.drawings in which: i Fig 1..is a perspective view of my gteopening and closing means set up to open and close a gatermountedin a fragmentary showing ofl` a fence.` .A l portionA ofvone .of the gate opening A'and CIQSins manspontrol. ropes. and thggmwrting post `or Standardthere'for are broken away: and 'shlwnonlyinpart to 'conserve space. v 7

Fig.. isa top v'iewof my gate opening and closing `means connected to a gate mounted in a fence `that is` shown only fragmentarily. Brokenlines illustratethe open positionv'of vthe' u fte" and dottedlines Ashow the gateA at l*thel mid:-

Fig. `3' is a -fragmentary showing of Vthe pendulumof myfgateopenin'g and closing means t0. ill ev morefclearlyfthe positionof thelroller guide spools with relation to the opening exible element or rope when the mechanism has been actuated to the open position.

Fig. 4 is a side view of my gate opening and closing means mounted on a gate, a portion of which is not shown to conserve space. The mechanism is shown at the mid-point of its movement and broken lines illustrate the closed position of the mechanism from which it has been actuated to" the mid-position toward opening the gate.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of the latch car-` rying fence post to illustrate the shape or the fixed portion of the latch and taken on the' line 5-5 of Fig. 2. I

Referring to the drawings I have used the riumeral I0 to designate a fence' gate that is hing# edly mounted to a gate post II by means of hinge ring I2 and hinge pin I3. I have shown this form of hinging as merely being one form of Afencev gate hinging' that is Vrather commonly used.l The particular forniY f ninging used is not material to the invention, however.

To the gate post Ii is also secured thevmain frame members I4, I5v and I6 which are joined together at their point of meeting.- A socket member I'I serves to secure frame member I4 to gate .post I I. The main 'frame member I6 has la diagonal brace I8 to insure adequate rigidity. Main frame member I lI carries a pendulum pivot support member Iwhich maybe of any suitable form that will provide lateral stability for pendulum arms and 20 that are' hingedly secured to the pendulum pivotrsuill'rt in any suitable manner as by the pin 2l. The main weight for the pendulum is designated, 22:. auxiliary pendulum weight isdesignated 213 and is pivotally secured to the pendulum arms 20. and 20 in any suitable way, here shown illustratively by the pin 24. yThe pendulum arm 20 has' a single roller support member 25 formedyinte'grally therewith and extending at substantiallyvright angles to the longitudinal axis of the arm ZIT, `but substantially within the plane of movement of the arm as shown in Figs. l and 2, A roller pivot 26 is rigidly secured to the roller support 25 and prof' jects laterally therefrom in a direction away from the main frame. A spool roller 21 Ais rotatably secured t the roller pivot 26.4 The other one of the pendulum arms, designated 20', carries two roller support members de sigrlatedv 28 and .29 respectively. Roller sulpQrt 28'Y is formed similarly to roller support 25 while the support desig# nated 294 is a straight ei'itehsion of the arm -20( beyond the pivot pin 2I The support v28 and 29 each arry roller .pivots as the ones `designated 370 and 3I which in turn rotatably support the spool rollers 32 and 33 respectively.

The gate .post I I also supports leverage arms 34 and y35 respectively which are hingedly supported by the bracket members' 36 and .3l`respectively- These may be secured in any suitable manner as by the serews 38 in Fig'. 1 shown securing bracket 36. Similar screws or like means are used to hold bracket 31 on the opposite side of gate post II, but these screws or like are not shown. The gate IIJ is provided with a pair of rigid pierced ears designated 39 and 41j which serve the purpose of providing a point of attachment for elements such as chainsAI and 42 connecting the leverage arms 34 and 35 respectively to the gate I0. Additional connecting elements such as theropes 43 and 44 connect the leverage arms to the eyes 45 and 46 respectively on the arms 20 and 2d of the pendulum. The gate I0 is also provided with a counterbalance arm 41 that is rigidly secured to the gate I as by Welding or the like. The extension 48 of gate pivot post is here shown as formed integrally with the pivot post as I have illustrated a gate that is specially constructed with my gate opening and closing means in mind. This element would have to be added to a standard gate, of course. Between socket Il and pendulum support member I9 is a counterbalance spacer support member designated i9 that hingedly supports lever arm 5I) on boss 5I as shown in all the gures, except Fig. 5. A hole 52 is' provided in lever 56 to permit connecting 'counte'rbalance arm 47 and the lever arm 50 by some suitable means such as the hook 53 and chain 5 4. A boss 55 or some other suitable means is provided forv securing the chain or like 54 to gatecounterbalance arm 4l. A second hole 52 is provided to permit the securing of counterbalance Weight 56 to lever arm 56 by some suitable means such asrope 5l' or` the like and eye 58 may be provided on the counterbalance to facili tate attaching the securing means tl' thereto.

`A means for latching and unlatching the gate I6 in synchronization with the means for moving the gate is necessary. Consequently a latch levei 5S is moveably secured to gate I6 by a suitable means such as pivot pin 66 which is rigidly se-` cured to the top bar of gate |01 in any practical manner as by welding. The lower end of the latch lever ispivotally connected to latch 62 by a pin 63 or like means.Y The latch 62 is slidably supported near its other end by the bearing bracket 64 that is secured to gate I in any suitable manner as by welding or the like. The latch catch 65 is securely attached to gate post 66 by any suitable means such as the screws 61 or the like. A spring 68 yieldingly holds the latch in an unlatch position as shown in Fig. 4. The hole 68 is provided in the top of latch lever 59 so that an actuating element for moving the latch to a latch position, here shown as rope TIB, may be secured to the lever 59. The other end of rope 1U is secured to chain 4I as best shown in Fig'. 4.

The meansv for imparting the initial energy to the pendulum is providedby a pair of ropes or other appropriate exible elements. Some attaching means such as eye lI is provided on weight 22 so that ropes l2 and i3 respectively may be secured thereto. u The ropes are reeved over the pulleys 'I4 and 'I5 respectively or some other suitable friction reducing and direction changing means may be used. A t a suitable distance from either side of gate It the LV-shaped poles I6 and 'I'I are securely mounted in the groundlor held upright in any suitable manner and near the path of normal movement through gate II). A suitable friction reducing and force direction changing means such as the pulleys 1.8 and 'I9 respectively are secured near the ends of the shortlegs of the L-'shaped poles and the ropes 12 and 'I3 are reeved therethrough. Any means to facilitate holding onto the ropes while exerting a pulling 'force thereon may be provided such as the knots and 8| respectively at the ends of the ropes. y K

zIt would be' possible to have the frame element I4 extend from gate p ost 1I I at any desired angle relative to the 'fencel 82, but I have shown it as being angularly displaced from the fence 45 or so as being the preferred arrangement. Such a placement of the frame avoids the usual appreach ofthe fence to the posts if a second fence row is secured to gate post II and on the same side of the fence as the gate opening mechanism.

The` framewould avoid alrnos any .of .th'elnrmel gate lfence 'arrangements therefore. I `j/Vhen the frame for the actuating mechanism islpositioned as shown in the drawings, the gate l is substantially in a straight line with the frame when the gate is 4onehalf open as shown by the dotted lines invFig. 2. rThis completes the discussion of the construction of my gate opening and closing means, and I will now `describe the operation of mydevice. Y j The ,gate l0 is held closed as vshowninv Figs. land 2by the actionv of the pendulum weight 22hwhich holds the `pendulum arms 20 and 2Q( down' against the frame member Hhv Inthis position of the pendulum roller 2'! engagesrope 43and exerts apulling force on chain ,4i. The rope lil alsohas a pullingforce exerted Aonmit because of-its, attachmentto chain I".A .Thelatch 62. is extended to the latch vposition bythemovementof latch lever r459.I rT iatchvspring 63 .is in anl extended `position Y underthese circumstances as best shown in Fig. 1. As the gate is Lapproached from `either side by a person Wishingto pass through it, either` of the vv,ropes 52, and l is pulled. ,A pulling force exertedonweitherof these ropes is transmitted rto the pendulum weight22 which lifts it romthe frame.A As soon as weight. 22. is lifted perceptibly, the Vtension onrope .43isrelieved.since roller 21 is being carried upwardly by the movement of pendulum arm 20. As tension is relaxed on rope 43, chain 4|, adrope-10,.the-:spring 63 is able to move latch lever 59 to the position shown in Fig. 4 whichk removes latch 62 from latch catch 65. The gate is then free to move the counterbalance weight 59 starts the `movement of gate l0 byexerting a pulling force on counterbalance arm 4l. Fig. 2 shows .the relative placement of the posts which permits a pulling force to be exerted by counterbalance Weight 56. Fig. 4 shows 'the movement'of the-'counterbalance lever arm and the weight 5E. As soon as the pendulum starts moving from the position shown in Fig. l toward the position shown in Fig. 4 `roller 33 engages rope 44'and pulls leverage arm 35 from the position shown in Fig. 2 with the solid lines toward the position shown in thatvgure with brokenlines. The movement started as described is continued by pulling on one of the ropes '12.and 13.

As the pendulum approaches .the topl center position, 'a critic'alpoint'is reached. The'counterbalance has reached the limit of its pulling force and additional pull on the ropes 'l2 and 13 only tends to halt the pendulum. It is necessary, therefore, for the ropes 12 and 'i3 to be pulled steadily and evenly until a point approaching that shown in Fig. 4 is reached. The speed of travel of pendulum weight 22 should be increased by increasing the pull on rope 'l2 or 13 as the case may be. As the position shown in Fig. 4 is nearly reached, the momentum of weight 22 and gate I0 is considerable. The actuating rope is released by the operator and swinging auxiliary pendulum weight 23 comes into play. This weight swings past center if the pendulum shows any tendency to slow down at the intermediate position shown in Fig. 4. Movement of weight 23 past center together with the momentum developed by the device causes the pendulum to swing past center and start falling toward the position shown in Fig. 3. During this process, rollers 33 and 32, in the order listed, engage rope 44 and exert a pulling force thereon by doubling the rope as shown in,

ever,` and ,Ia willl now describe-this particular portion of the gate closing-action.'A Y' When the gate is being closed, a pull is exerte v Qlllllle ropeh43, chain 4I, and rope l0. The pullA ongthis ,series ofV4 ilexivble elements causes lthe 1'atchjleverj59, springe-58 andlatch 62 Qi'be moved. and held in the position 'shown in "Fgf-l.

Thel latch 62 ,is extended, therefore, and mustl @melf latch catch 65 in a diierent manner from thekwayin whichit is removed therefrom. Fig d vdiscloses thatV` latch catch V65` has a slanting shoulder facingnrfthe direction from jwhich thej'gate I il moves lwhile being closed. Thejbear-L ing,` bracket 64j is Y,cgnsiderably larger *thanl vthe Widthv of latch 6,2,..as ,best Shown in Fig. f1.A however; so that latch 62'mayimo`ve on its hinge-pinl connection` to latch ,lever 59n if an upward force is exerted V011 the `endggo latchfz.V k'When 4the latch ,62 strikeslatchcatch' 65,"theref'ore, Alatch 62 slides upward noverjthe slanting shoulder of latch catch 65 and seats in the catch notch. The gate is thereby secured vir'ijaclosed position until tensionisagain,released on rope,'|0. f A

Ini some casesthe ropes 12 and13 may slip from the hand during operation in spite ofthe precautions of knots 80,.and8`|. If the'knots so slipped from the handat apoint when pendulum Weight 22V could exertv a snapping action on, ropes 12.-and i3, itgwould pull the ropes Yupwardly through pulleys 18 and 19. ASuch ran event Ywhile not fatal to the .device vvwould be highly inconvenient.r I` consider `it highly desirable, therefore, although not essentialto thel operation of the device toprovide .the ropes 'I2 and 13 with stop means. to insurel that they will not be pulled backwards through the pulleys 78 and 79. This means in` its'simplestform is merely aknot in each rope as the ones designated 83 Y`and 84' respectively. From theforegoing, itis clear that Ifhave invented avremotecontrol fence opening andclosing device that is entirely, mechanical in its actuation and is not at all susceptible of break down. Furthermore, any farmer would have the necessary skill to make at least temporary repairs if trouble does develop.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of my gate opening and closing means without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included Within their scope.

I claim:

l. In a gate opening and closing means adapted for use with a swinging gatey hingedly mounted on a gate post, a frame adapted to being secured near a gate post, an inverted pendulum swingably secured to said frame, a pair of arms capable of being hingedly secured to a gate post, a pair of flexible elements each having one end secured to said pendulum; one of said flexible elements having its other end secured to one of said arms; the other of said flexible elements having its other end connected to the other of said arms, a pair of flexible members each-having'oneendsecured to said gate; one.. of' said-1 flexible members` having its. other` endY connected to oneof saldi arms; the otherY of said flexible members having its other end connected to the other ofvsaid arms, and a manual means for swingably moving said pendulum in two directions.

2. I-n a gate opening and vclosing means adapted for use With a swinging gate hingedly mounted on a gate post, arframe adapted'to being secured near a gate post, an inverted pendulum swingably'secured toV saidframe, arp-air of arms capable of being hingedly secured-to a gate post, a pair of flexible elements each having one end. secured to said pendulum, an auxiliary weight hingedly secured to said'pendulum; one of saidflexible elements having its other end Vsecured to one of said arms; the other of said flexible elements having its other end connected to the other of said arms, a pair of flexible members each having one end secured to said gate; one of said flexible members having. its other end connected to one of said arms; the other of said llexible members having its other end connect'- ed to the other of said arms, and a manual means for swingably' moving' said pendulum in two directions.

3. In a gate opening and closing means adapted for use withl a swinging gate' hingedly mount--n ed on a gate post, a frame adapted to being secured near a gate post, an inverted pendulum 4swingably secured to said frame, an arm adapted to beingA flxedly secured to a gate to extend longitudinally beyond a vertical extension of an endl of a gate, a lever arm hingedly secured to said frame, a Weight secured to said lever arm?, a flexible connector having one of its' ends connected to said xed arm and the other end lconnected to said lever arm, a pair of hinged arms capable of being mounted on a gate post, andv flexible elements each having one end connected to said pendulum and the other end adapted to being secured to a gate; one of said exible elements being connected at a point between its ends to one of said hinged arms; the other of said flexible elements being connected at a; point between its ends to the other of said `hinged arms, and means for swinging said pendulum in two directions.

4. In a gate opening and closing means 'adapted for use with a swinging gate hingedly mounted on a gate post, a frame adapted to being secured` near -a gate post', an inverted pendulum svvingably secured to said frame, .an arm adapt'- ed to being. fixedly secured to a gate to extend' longitudinally beyond a vertical extension ofi an end o f a gate, Va lever arm hingedly securedto' said frame, a weight secured to said l'ever varm, a flexible connector having one of its ends colinected to said xed arm and the other` end" con'- nectedY to said lever. arm, a pair of hinged arms capable of being mounted on a gate post,` 'and flexible elements each having one end? connect'- ed to saidpendulum and the other end adapted to being secured to a gate; one of'I said Yflexible elements being connected at a point between its ends to one' of said hinged arms; the' other' of said flexible elements' beingv connected at a;A point between its ends to the other of'v said hinged arms, a latch lever' adapted to being pivotally secured to a gate', a latch pivotally securedY to said latch lever, a collar' bracket adapted to being secured to a. gate and slidably supporting said latch, a spring yieldingly urging' one 'en'd of said latch lever inone direction, and a exible memberv connecting saidv latch lever to one of said exible elements.

5. In combination with a hinged gate, a gate opening and closingV means comprising;J a frame rigidly mounted near said gate, an inverted pendulum hingedly rmounted o'n said' frame`V and capable of swinging" movement vin two directions, a pair of flexible elements connecting said. pendulum to said gate, rollers on said pendulum selectively engaging and disengaging said" flexible elements for alternately' shortening' oneA of said flexible elements and lengthening the other of said flexiblek elements by selectively swing-ing said `pendulum in its' two directions of swinging movement, and manualmeans for swinging said pendulum in two directions. c

ADOLPH" F. HOPPE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 475,132 Merridith May 17, 1892 798,846 Van Pelt Sept. `5, 1905 910,782 Buckman Jan. 26, 1909 1,963,212 Phillips June 19, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS Number n Country Date 617,105 France Nov. 10, 1926 

